A Christmas Concert by the Cathedral Strings
28 Browning St, Napier, Hawke's Bay / Gisborne
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As the busy Christmas and holiday season draws closer we could all do with a little bit of R and R – rest and relaxation. The Cathedral Strings orchestra will offer just that with a concert in the Waiapu Cathedral, Napier on Sunday December 4, starting at 2:30pm.
The concert will begin with excerpts from the score written by Tchaikovsky for The Nutcracker ballet, a perennial Christmas fixture throughout the world. The March of the Tin Soldiers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Waltz of the Flowers will be familiar to anyone who loves classical music or ballet. A completely different style of dance is represented by Astor Piazolla’s Oblivion, a South-American milonga considered a forerunner of modern tango; with sophisticated harmonies, it is haunting and atmospheric. Then, to contrast, a lively Blue Tango by Leroy Anderson, and some modern songs including Blackbird, Unchained Melody, and A Whiter Shade of Pale will complete the first half of the program. The orchestra will turn to Christmas favourites for the second half of their program, with medleys of familiar Carols emphasising the theme song It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Conductor Anthony Tattersall says that there may even be some opportunities for the audience to sing-along with the orchestra! And then, to complete the concert, what better than the jingling sounds of Leroy Anderson’s iconic Sleigh Ride.
The Cathedral Strings players are experienced musicians who have played for many years in groups such as the Hawke’s Bay Regional Orchestra, chamber music groups and other orchestras. Several were members of the well-known Napier string orchestra “Concord Strings” which was founded and directed by the late Vincent James. Concord played concerts in Hawke’s Bay for more than 50 years and a group of players accompanied the Waiapu Cathedral Choir at church services when Gary Bowler was the Cathedral organist. They continued playing at services when Anthony Tattersall became the Cathedral’s Musical Director in 2017 and in June 2021 gave their first concert as the Cathedral Strings, with Anthony as conductor.
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